Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Feb 4, 2012, 3:14 am
The Dancer's Reward (1907) by the English artist Aubrey Vincent Beardsley (1872–1898). In this illustration to Oscar Wilde’s Salomé the wicked heroine seems as terrified as her victim.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jan 27, 2012, 2:43 pm
Susanna and the Elders by the Italian painter Alessandro di Cristofano di Lorenzo del Bronzino Allori (1535-1607). As a good Mannerist artist Allori shows above all what he is capable of. There are strange movements, packed action and not least a perfect body. I especially like her little dog which ...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jan 20, 2012, 12:11 pm
Delilah (1948) by the great Australian born artist Henry Clive. Clive started in the 1920's painting Ziegfeld Girls, then big stars like Gloria Swanson and Polga Negri for promo campaigns. Later he painted covers for American Weekly. He specialized in elegant glamorous women. His Delilah here is rep...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Oct 25, 2011, 2:20 pm
Eve (1896) by the French artist Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer (1865-1953). Levy-Dhurmer was a Symbolist/Art Nouveau painter and shows here a femme fatale who seems best friend with the devilish snake.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Oct 17, 2011, 12:43 pm
Bathsheba by the Flemish Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) Maybe that it’s a typical Bathsheba painting: She with her servants, and in the distance king David on the balcony. But there’s a little more. The way how she’s exhibiting boobs and legs goes way further. And last not least...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Oct 8, 2011, 2:21 pm
Jezebel’s Death by the French artist Paul Gustave Doré (1832–1883). That’s another one of Doré’s Bible illustrations of 1866. Here he shows how the evil queen is thrown out of the window of her palace. Down on the street there are already waiting the dogs which will devour her body.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Sep 28, 2011, 3:39 am
Judith (c.1540) by the Flemish Renaissance painter Jan Sanders van Hemessen (1500–1556). Here a completely nude Judith is raising self confident a heavy sword. She has a strong athletic body and is ready to cut of the head of the sleeping Holofernes. An impressive painting.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Sep 16, 2011, 2:17 pm
Another version of Lot and his daughters by the Italian Baroque painter Gian Francesco Barbieri (1591-1666). Here it seems that the daughters even forced the poor father to drink. Remains the question, why he’s already half naked?
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Sep 4, 2011, 1:35 pm
Joseph and Potiphar's Wife (c.1631) by the Italian Baroque Era Painter Guido Reni (1575-1642). Reni focuses on the moment when Joseph is fleeing leaving behind his cloak. But of the dramatic action there is not much to see, she looks pretty cool, nearly tired, and Joseph seems kind of playing.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Aug 25, 2011, 1:19 pm
Salome (1882) by the French painter Jean Baptiste Hippolyte de Vergeses (1847-1896). Vergeses depicts here the biblical Salome in an oriental look, like the popular oriental paintings of this time. She looks more like a kind of Scheherazade in One Thousand and One Nights than a biblical woman. Only ...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Aug 14, 2011, 2:47 pm
Samson and Delilah (1537) by the German Renaissance painter Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1533). As it was normal in that time the painting is full of narrative details. First there is Delilah cutting the hair. The hero is barefoot, indicating that he’s sleeping. On the other hand he wears hi...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Aug 3, 2011, 12:15 pm
Susanna by the Italian painter Francesco Hayez (1791-1882) Suanna doesn’t look very surprised, quite the contrary she’s kind of presenting herself. She turns to the onlooker making clear that he’s the voyeur.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jul 24, 2011, 2:13 pm
The finding of Moses by the Italian rococo painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770). Tiepolo focuses here completely on the courtly lady with her servants, entourage and dogs. Paintings like this were always a appeal for patronage. The rich and powerful noblewoman would show her generosity.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jul 24, 2011, 2:13 pm
The finding of Moses by the Italian rococo painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770). Tiepolo focuses here completely on the courtly lady with her servants, entourage and dogs. Paintings like this were always a appeal for patronage. The rich and powerful noblewoman would show her generosity.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jul 15, 2011, 12:31 pm
The Sin (1893) by the German symbolist painter Franz von Stuck (1863-1928). The snake and the women are here inseparably interwoven, they are only two faces of the same subject. The woman may be Eve, Lilith or the devil herself, she’s a dangerous seductress. After all that’s nothing new. Eve alw...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jul 3, 2011, 1:50 pm
Bathsheba (1720) by the Italian painter Sebastiano Ricci (1659-1734). Another version of Bathsheba. Here Ricci shows a wider environment. An impressive palace, numerous servants, and in the distance king David peeping. Bathsheba is a typical European blond baroque beauty.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jun 24, 2011, 2:28 pm
Judith with the Head of Holofernes (1726) by the Dutch Baroque painter Philip van Dijk (1683 –1753). Van Dijk depicted here a pale exhausted Judith, who is leaning on her sword. She’s tired from making love to the enemy but also from her bloody work.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jun 15, 2011, 1:32 pm
Elijah Confronting Ahab and Jezebel in Naboth's Vineyard (1875) by the English painter Sir Frank Bernard Dicksee (1853–1928). Typical for the time the artist tries to be as exact as possible in the historical presentation of the subject. Many of this paintings were very popular and used – like t...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jun 7, 2011, 11:57 am
Salome by the Greek American artist John Vassos (1898–1985). Vassos was a famous Art Décor designer, painter and illustrator. In 1927 he made the illustrations for a new edition of Oscar Wilde’s Salome. The result are a some impressive dynamic and cool interpretations.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - May 28, 2011, 3:46 am
Queen Esther (1878) by the English painter Edwin Longsden Long (1829-1891). Long was an specialized in historical, biblical and oriental subjects. So it isn’t surprising that he spent great efforts on the historical details like costumes, architecture and furniture. Because of that the result is m...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - May 17, 2011, 12:24 pm
Lot and his daughters from the 16th century by an unknown Flemish painter. The girls are getting their father really drunk. The one who’s receiving the fathers advances looks totally bored. From a modern perspective the neo-Roman clothes are much more interesting. Must be one of the first examples...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - May 9, 2011, 2:23 pm
Susanna and the Elders by the Italian Renaissance painter Bernardino Luini (c. 1480/82-1532). Luini came from Leonardo's circle and it’s easy to see how with the Italian Renaissance started a new era in art. Realistic faces like this were impossible even in late medieval art.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Apr 30, 2011, 12:41 pm
Hagar and Ishmael by the English painter Frederick Goodall (1822-1904). Here the mother is still strong, totally concentrated on the long march in the desert. Ishmael is also carrying the vital water but above all he’s depending on his mother. She’s marching on.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Apr 22, 2011, 2:18 pm
Probably the most inconsistent and multifaceted icon of all bible women is the women with the snake. In her person are blending various myths and characters. At first there is Eve the first woman, the wife of Adam and the primordial mother of all mankind. But Eve is already much more than this, she ...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Apr 14, 2011, 11:34 am
Jephthah's daughter a medieval illumination from the so called Maciejowski Bible of the 13th century. In this cruel scene Jephtah is sacrificing his daughter how he has vowed to God and there’s no Angel of Salvation coming to stop him. Cruel story by the way, I never understood it.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Apr 5, 2011, 4:31 am
Judith and Holofernes (c.1927) by the German painter Franz von Stuck (1863-1928). Stuck painted here a self-confident strong woman who is ready to behead the helpless man to her feet. It’s easy to see how she enjoys the bloody work and the power. So she’s less the personification of a biblical l...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Mar 26, 2011, 3:25 am
The finding of Moses by the French artist Paul Gustave Doré (1832–1883), one of his Bible illustrations of 1866. Pharaoh's daughter and her entourage are here depicted in a proper historical manner. So that the scenery looks realistic. But the stage light from above focusing on the basket with Mo...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Mar 16, 2011, 1:53 pm
Potiphar’s Wife (1914) by the Russian artist Léon Samoilovitch Bakst (1866-1924). Bakst was a painter but became famous as a scene- and costume designer who revolutionized the arts he worked in. Here he painted the costume of Potiphar’s Wife, it’s that of a kind of exotic, strange and powerfu...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Mar 8, 2011, 2:21 pm
Here’s Salome on an older cover of the comic Vampirella. Interesting is not only the survival of the old story in comics, but more the mixture of Salome and the myth of the Snake queen, the goddess of evil. Normally she is represented by Lilith or sometimes Eva, but today it seems that these old m...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Feb 26, 2011, 12:48 pm
This Bathsheba is from a medieval illuminated manuscript. It contains already all important ingredients of this subject: A beautiful nude posing, two servants indicating a rich lady and king David peeping on his balcony.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Feb 15, 2011, 2:15 pm
Susannah at her bath (1874) by the French painter Hugues Merle (1823-1881). Merle was a student of Léon Cogniet; and a friend of William Bouguereau. So he’s typical for that perfect academic style in the second half of the 19th century. Normally he painted sentimental and moral subjects from lite...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Feb 5, 2011, 1:28 pm
Lot and his daughters by Flemish painter Lazarus van der Borcht (working in Antwerp 1601-1611). The poor father is seduced with wine and women. Seeing so much nude skin I think it must have been nearly pornographic in it’s time.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jan 24, 2011, 11:16 am
Lois Lane as Delilah is cutting Superman’s hair and robbing him his superpowers. A charming comic adaptation of the old myth.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jan 15, 2011, 1:55 pm
This Tamar is by an anonymous painter of the Rembrandt School. Disguised Tamar seduces Judah her father-in-law to become pregnant. Impressing is the play of light and shadow.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jan 4, 2011, 12:23 pm
This Esther is an illustration of a popular bible. I don’t know the artist but it’s in the typical Art Deco style of the 1930’s. Despite pretending to depict Esther the girl looks much more than a blonde Wagnerian Valkyrie.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Dec 22, 2010, 9:21 am
Jephthah's Daughter (1876) by the French painter Édouard Debat-Ponsan (1847-1913). With all the lascivious exotic women this is more an oriental than a biblical painting. Debat-Ponsan did also some oriental harem-paintings and stayed here near this popular subject.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Aug 7, 2010, 12:12 pm
Bathsheba receiving King David’s letter (c. 1659) by the Dutch painter Jan Steen (c.1626–1679). Steen shows here a typical Dutch bourgeois woman who shows triumphing king David’s letter, meaning that she will have success with her plan.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Aug 1, 2010, 2:36 pm
Here a contemporary interpretation (2007) of the old myth of Salome and St. John the Baptist by the Polish artist Joanna Chrobak (born 1968). Salome looks like a pale ghoulish ghost contemplating sadly her trophy. A great painting in the best Polish surrealist tradition.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jul 10, 2010, 2:27 pm
The Finding of Moses (c.1650) by the French Baroque painter Sébastien Bourdon (1616-1671). Bourdon studied in Paris and Rome where he was influenced by the paintings of Nicolas Poussin, Claude Lorrain and Caravaggio. Here the influence of Poussin could easily be observed.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jun 20, 2010, 2:55 pm
This Judith and Holofernes (c.1554) is by the Italian Renaissance painter Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574). Interesting is the two dimensional reduction certainly inspired by roman fresco paintings.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jun 14, 2010, 2:47 pm
Jezebel is probably the most villainous women in the Bible, she worshipped false gods, manipulated the people of Israel and was above all famous for her promiscuity. So it may be a little surprising to find a modern lifestyle magazine using the ancient myth of the seductive and evil Jezebel as a kin...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Jun 5, 2010, 12:14 pm
Susanna surprised by the Elders (ca.1913) by the German painter Franz von Stuck (1863-1928). That painted several variations of that subject. It seems that he liked the scene of the surprised young women and the two horny old men.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - May 26, 2010, 3:18 am
This is a more recent Bible illustration from 1965. It’s by the American artist Francis Marshall (1901-1980) who worked also for Vogue and did a lot of book and magazine illustrations.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - May 21, 2010, 2:56 pm
The Meeting of Tamar and Judah (1555-58) by the Italian Renaissance painter Tintoretto (1518–1594). It’s the story how Tamar seduces her father-in-law disguised as a prostitute. But because Tamar isn’t disguised at all it seems that the story is more an excuse for the artist to show the elegan...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - May 14, 2010, 1:24 pm
Bathsheba by the Italian painter Sebastiano Ricci (1659-1734). Ricci depicted here a lazy rococo court lady with her maidservants taking care of her beautiful body. Bathsheba is probably aware of King David on his balcony. She’s a kind of Madame de Pompadour who wants to become queen in seducing t...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - May 6, 2010, 2:12 pm
The American actress Hedy Lamarr as Delilah in the film Samson and Delilah (1949). It’s interesting to see this more recent interpretation of the old myth, especially the typical Hollywood makeup and hairstyle of the early 1950s.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Apr 29, 2010, 12:50 pm
The Dutch painter Adriaen van der Werff (1669-1722) depicts here how Sarah presents her young slave Hagar to her husband so that he can have children with her. Werff confronts here the old face of Sarah with the young naked and fertile looking body of Hagar.
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Apr 21, 2010, 2:14 pm
This painting "The Servant" (1994) is by the American fantasy artist Gerald Brom (born 1965). And though it probably not pretends to be an interpretation of the old story of Salome and St. John the Baptist, it is unavoidable to see that myth in it. The iconography is in this case so strong, that a h...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Apr 15, 2010, 3:39 am
Lot and his Daughters (c. 1651) by the Italian Baroque painter Gian Francesco Barbieri (1591-1666). It’s the typical setting: Lot between his seductive daughters drinking the offered wine (probably to daze his conscience) and in the back the burning Sodom with the statue of the mother half on the ...
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Judy H. posted an article on Women in the Bible - Apr 10, 2010, 2:07 pm
Pharaoh's daughter finding baby Moses (1855) by the Russian painter Konstantin Dmitriyevich Flavitsky (1830-1866). Flavitsky was a neoclassic painter and specialized in biblical and Russian legends. What attracts the attention in this painting is above all it’s rationalistic construction: the ligh...
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